Mr. Conor Falvey:

Dr. Manning is correct that the major project approved thus far is the very important and positive Beyond 2022 initiative. In fairness, it has been welcomed by members of the committee. It has very positive North-South and east-west elements in terms of the engagement between British National Archives and the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, both of which attended the launch last week. Trinity College Dublin is taking the lead on the project, along with the National Archives of Ireland. In addition, the Government has made a €22 million capital investment in the Bishop Street headquarters of the National Archives which is being managed through the Department with the co-operation of the Office of Public Works. That has always been positioned as an appropriate commemoration of the centenary of the State.

On further specific capital investments, there were seven permanent reminders following on from 2016, some of which were listed by the Senator and including the GPO and the Athenaeum in Wexford. The members of the expert advisory group may have a better recollection of this than I. I do not have the precise figures to hand but I suspect the investment in the National Archives probably exceeds the aggregate investment in those reminders at that stage. That is something on which we can reflect in terms of the shape of the programme in the coming years and what would be appropriate from that perspective. The focus has been more on creativity, academic examination, community-driven activities and State ceremonials than around physical items.